Chill...

What is your favorite way to relax and de-stress? Believe it or not, crafting is mine. I know a lot of people love to exercise to unwind, and once upon a time so did I (unfortunately my body doesn't handle that so well anymore). Others like to have a drink to chill out, and still others like to cook to help them relax. But crafting is where it's at for me. It helps me clear my head. When my mind is racing, or when I'm stuck and trying to figure out how to solve a problem, crafting helps me clear my head and put things in perspective. When I was working as a case manager in New Jersey, I can't tell you how many times I  figured out how to help a client by simply taking my mind off of it for a while and taking some time to reorganize my thoughts. I'm telling you, it works.
When I'm feeling like my whole world is spiraling out of control, crafting grounds me. It's the ultimate form of control for me. I can start when I want. I can stop when I want. I can change the pattern I'm working on. I can choose what colors I want to use. I can choose to work on a different project if I want. I can do what I want with it, when I want with it. And no one can stop me.
Whew... it was nice to actually put that in writing. Anyway, I've been working on a new pattern for a knit mug cozy. Yes, I know I already have 4 mug cozy patterns in the shop, but like I said in my first post, I love to have a variety of options for my items. And this new pattern is so cute! The monogram option really allows everyone to personalize their cozy, and it goes so well with the monogrammed pot holders. Check it out here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/269879905/monogram-coffee-cozies?ref=shop_home_active_1
I'm working on coming up with some more items to add to the shop, and I'll post about it as they come. In the meantime, I will be at a training for my new job tomorrow (yay!). More to come on that as well!